By JOLENE OGLE
From just five members meeting at Pomona in 2003, Slow Food Noosa is now one of the region’s most proactive community groups quickly spreading the message of Slow Food.
Designed around the ethos of choosing local foods, Slow Food Noosa has been working tirelessly to spread the word throughout the community through a number of projects including funding for edible gardens in local schools and programs such as the Sowing Serenity horticultural program at Noosa Carramar Care Dementia unit.
Slow Food Noosa president Erika Hackett said Slow Food Noosa was passionate about the local food system and want to instil farmer autonomy, secure food security and build a healthier community, and this year representatives from Slow Food Noosa will again travel to the Terra Madre festival in September in Italy, a global gathering of Slow Food enthusiasts, where Noosa’s local produce will be on show.
Ms Hackett said the festival was a fantastic opportunity to share knowledge and produce with the wider world.
“We are sending produce to Italy to broaden an understanding of the local produce and to raise awareness of the type of agriculture and industry within the Noosa region,” Ms Hackett said.
Some of the local produce on show will include products from Fresh Box, Cooloola Berries and Buchi Kombucha, which will be showcased in a bushtucker taste workshop.
Upon return to Noosa, the delegates will share their new information with members and guests at Slow Food Noosa’s October breakfast.
Ms Hackett said the delegates can attend the festival, thanks to support from local businesses and Tourism Noosa, who have provided a grant to the organisation.
“The festival is a fantastic forum to instil farmer autonomy, food security, sustainable practices from farm to plate and create a healthier ecosystem and, in turn, a healthier community in all its facets,” she said.
With over 100,000 members and 1 million supporters, the Slow Food movement is one of the world’s fastest growing, grassroots organisations.
“Noosa is one of Australia’s largest groups, and we are fortunate to have a large number of producers within our catchment,” Ms Hackett said.
“We are also fortunate to have a community that is passionate about supporting local producers and enjoying the bounty of our local agricultural industry.”
Each month, Slow Food Noosa hosts informative breakfasts with a range of speakers who share their knowledge and experience in all things farming, local produce and gardening.
The next event will be held on Thursday 30 June at Peppers Noosa Resort and Villas, Little Hastings Street, Noosa Heads, at 7.45am for an 8am start.
The guest speaker will be Luke Stacey from Naturaleza Farm who will talk about good garlic. The cost is $28 for members and $32 for non-members and includes a buffet breakfast.
